Page 57 of Something Unavoidable

Izzy paused again, and Keegan realized it was practiced, calculated. “I believe he was. Yes.”

“Did he give you any names?”

Izzy glanced at Xavier, his eyes widening when he caught sight of Keegan.

“We have a list for you,” Xavier said. “But let’s remove that question. We don’t want to open the door for retaliation.”

The reporter nodded and made a note on the pad in front of her. “Of course. That’s the last thing anyone wants.” She gestured to a cameraman Keegan hadn’t spotted before. “Delete that clip from the drive, please.”

Xavier and Keegan watched the cameraman do as instructed. When he was recording again, he gave a thumbs-up, and the reporter turned back to Izzy.

She smiled, warm and motherly. “Let’s back up, okay, hun?”

“Yeah, okay,” Izzy said, taking a steadying breath.

“Did Joshua Martin threaten you?” she asked.

“He tried,” Izzy admitted. “But I had something the girls didn’t.”

“What was that?”

“My father.”

“Your father is Frank King of King Farm. He’s bred and raised horses competing at the top levels of the sport, including the horse you rode to a Young Rider Championship when you were seventeen.”

Izzy nodded. “Dad has lifelong connections to people that are very influential. Josh knew that if Frank King turned against him, there was no coming back from it. And I made it very clear that my father would learn the truth. About everything.”

“Were you able to tell your father what had happened? What did he say?”

Izzy didn’t answer immediately. Finally, he said, “I wasn’t. When I threatened to tell my dad, Josh… He proposed retirement instead. I wanted—” He stopped and took another sip of water.

Out of the corner of Keegan’s eye, Xavier was nodding his approval.

“I thought we should tell the USEO and the IOC anyway, but Emma and Sammy weren’t sure.”

“Emma and Samantha have both stated that they were still deciding whether to pursue charges when Josh died. Afterward, they agreed they would rather move on than deal with the stress of an investigation.”

Izzy took a steadying breath. “I was injured, so I don’t really know about anything that came after.”

Riley shifted closer to Izzy and poked his hand with her nose until he started to pet her again.

The reporter’s eyes were compassionate. “This was the accident that forced you to stop competing.”

Izzy shrugged, uncomfortable. “I got hurt during the cross-country portion of the US Equestrian Open Final at Oxford Park. I’d just head about Josh’s death, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I misjudged a turn and fell. Birdie bowed a tendon, and I broke my leg.”

“That fall ended both of your careers, and you sold your horse soon after.”

Izzy’s jaw trembled. “Yeah,” he rasped before draining his water. The reporter, who Keegan kind of wanted to punch for continuing this line of questioning, refilled it from a pitcher on the table.

“I’m sure that was extremely difficult. You sound emotional.”

Izzy let out a rough laugh. “No shit.” Then he coughed. “Sorry. I mean, yes. It was difficult. She was an amazing horse, but she was better off with someone who could properly care for her.”

Keegan frowned. Was that the real reason? Something in Izzy’s voice told Keegan there was more to that decision than he was admitting.

“I just have a few more questions, Isaac,” the reporter said. Keegan bit back the desire to correct her on Izzy’s name and could see Izzy doing the same. “I know it’s impossible to say for sure since Josh didn’t leave a note, but do you believe that fear of exposure was what led to his suicide?”

Izzy glanced at Xavier and got a nod. “I can only guess,” he said, his words careful. “And make assumptions based on what I know of Josh’s character after training under him for four years.”

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